Parishioners discuss future of Eaton chapel They want to use pieces of the old SS. Cyril and Methodius Church By Steve Arveson For The News-Chronicle Town of Eaton resident Roger Ostrenga admits he may not have been as involved with church activities as he should have been. But when his church, SS. Cyril and Methodius Church closed its doors in 1999, Ostrenga said he lost a major part of himself and the Eaton-area community lost the center of its spiritual self. "When it closed, it was an eye-opener for me and that's why I'm standing here. I didn't realize I had it until it was gone," he said. More than 40 former members of SS. Cyril and Methodius turned out for a meeting held to discuss the future of a chapel that may soon stand on land just yards from where the church once stood. By the end of Sunday's meeting, held at the Bellevue VFW, committees began to form and the process of planning the new chapel began. "We're a faith community and we just want to have a place to pray. That's what this is all about," Ostrenga said. SS. Cyril and Methodius closed its doors in 1999 despite rampant objections from parishioners. Many former members joined St. Thomas the Apostle of Sugarbush. In the summer of 2002, the stained-glass windows were removed and sent to a church in Door County. On June 8, many of the church possessions were auctioned to private buyers. On July 28, the 118-year-old church was razed after the town of Eaton purchased the land for a new town hall. And though Ostrenga said he may not have done as much as he could have when the church was in operation, he is now spearheading the effort to get a chapel built. Though numbers are still preliminary, Ostrenga said the building could cost about $130,000, depending on how much is required of contractors. "As a faith community, if we can get together and build it ourselves, I'm sure we can get by with a lower dollar amount," Ostrenga said. "We're going to get out of it what we are willing to put into it with time, money and effort." The land on which the chapel would stand has been donated by Rick and Cindy Schwartz, to the faith community. Plans for the building include incorporating pieces collected from the former church on the day it was razed. Ostrenga said a spring groundbreaking would be ideal, but the project timeline would depend on when funds are available. The goal of the chapel, Ostrenga said, is to give former church members and new area residents a place to pray. The building also would be available for weddings or funerals, but any mass would require a diocese-sanctioned priest, Ostrenga said. "We don't want to be disassociated with the diocese and I don't want to say we are nondenominational but as a group, we will be able to use this chapel," he said. "We don't need to be sanctioned by the diocese. However, if we want to hold a mass, we would have to get permission for that." Committee members also insist the chapel will not be a replacement for any existing church. "We don't want to be a thorn in the diocese's side," committee member Debbie Goral said. "We want to work with the diocese and not be looked upon as some rebel group that is trying to go against the diocese. We're looking to bring something for our community to bring the people back together." Future meetings of the Faith Community of SS. Cyril and Methodius are yet to be announced. "What happens after this meeting is going to make or break us," Ostrenga said. "If we stick together and we all get involved, this is going to work. Five people can't make it work. We all have to work together."